Book Review: An Introduction to Composite Products: Design, Development, and Manufacture
This book is unique among composite reference books. As the title suggests, the book focuses on composite products, not just the materials or analysis. It is thin on mathematics and data, but contains a wealth of practical information.
The first five chapters describe the design process, which the author divides into four loops: assessment, outline design, detailed design, and validation. The loops themselves are joined in a full design loop, with the customer at the center. Each loop is described in detail. Taken as a whole, these chapters outline a process for designing any new product. The principles can be applied to any design in general, but many examples are shown which apply to composites in particular.
For example, in the assessment loop, you work with the customer to define product requirements and specifications. Six major areas are identified: function, geometry, environment, duty, cost, and programme/contract. Within each of these areas, the author identifies several items to consider (tolerances, surface finish, operating temperature, transparency to light, paintability, applied loads, failure probability, prototype costs, inspectability, liability, etc.).
The next 14 chapters cover more specific topics, including materials, loading conditions, and joining. These chapters don't tell you how to design, analyze, or test a composite product. Rather, they are a distillation of practical experience in each of the topic areas. For example, the chapter on matrix resins covers 22 factors to consider when selecting a resin (toxicity, cure process, shrinkage, fatigue, fire emissions, refractive index, costs, and others).
The remaining seven chapters cover a variety of topics not normally seen in a composites reference. The final chapter consists solely of a list of 66 hints and tips, many of which can be applied to any project (not just to composites). A few samples:
- Do not always believe what you read in the literature.
- Do not assume anisotropy must always be a benefit.
- Never rely on resin dominated properties.
- Take production volume into account in design.
- Do not assume that sandwich panels are always the lightest solution.
- Never skimp on in process inspection.
- Many dafety factors would be better described as ignorance factors.
- Never permit the relationship with the customer to break down.
Perhaps the only weakness with this book is the sometimes lack of detail. In most cases this approach works well: the focus is supposed to be on the development process, not analysis or material data. But some details are noticeably absent. For example, in the section on honeycomb, the author states:
...the majority of the world's production [of honeycomb] is manufactured by only two suppliers, and these publish excellent guides to the selection and uses of their materials.
However, nowhere does he state who the two suppliers are, or how you can contact them to get their publications. Hexcel is mentioned later in the section, but not specifically as one of the suppliers.
Finally, in the appendix covering information sources, the author recommends four composite books. Three of these books were the same three I recommended in my Essential Reference Books column.
Details: An Introduction to Composite Products: Design,
Development, and Manufacture, by Kevin Potter, published by
Chapman & Hall, 1997, ISBN 0-412-73690-X.
1. Design of composite products; 2. The assessment loop; 3. The
outline design loop; 4. The detailed design loop; 5. The validation
loop; 6. Fibres; 7. Matrix Resins; 8. Lamina/laminate properties;
9. Reinforcement forms; 10. Core materials; 11. Ancillary materials;
12. Fabrication processes; 13. Non-destructive testing;
14. Environmental effects; 15. Fatigue and stress rupture; 16. Impact
effects; 17. Adhesive bonding; 18. Bolted joints; 19. Statistics;
20. Composite markets and products; 21. Costing; 22. Plant layout;
23. Quality; 24. Troubleshooting; 25. Case study of product
development; 26. Hints and tips; A. Information sources/bibliography;
B. Glossary of terms used in stress analysis